County to proceed with legal action against CDA
By Terry Murry on Thursday, June 27th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer has notified its law firm, Best, Best, & Krieger of Bend, to proceed with legal action against the Columbia Development Authority. That comes after the Tuesday meeting of the CDA Board of Directors in which the issue of rescinding a vote that cut the county out of economic development land for the former Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot.
Shafer is a board member, but he was barred from attending an executive session during the meeting because of the county’s possible legal action.
“I totally understood that,” Shafer said.
Following the session, the board reconvened in order to adjourn the meeting without introducing rescinding the vote to the board.
“I have notified Greg Smith (project manager for CDA) that the county is going ahead with legal action,” Shafer said Wednesday.
He said he has also notified county staff to stand down on work for CDA that might be pending. Shafer said at this time, all of the expenses for preparing the land for economic development fall to the Port of Umatilla and the Port of Morrow.
